UFC

UFC Fight Night: Mousasi vs. Hall main card predictions

The UFC returns this weekend with a UFC Fight Night doubleheader on Saturday. The first card of the day is headlined by a middleweight scrap between Gegard Mousasi and Uriah Hall while UFC veteran Ross Pearson and rising prospect Stevie Ray hold down the co-main event. Let’s take a closer look at the four-fight main card and how those fights might play out.

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Gegard Mousasi vs. Uriah Hall

Mousasi has been shooting up the ranks recently -- thanks in part to back-to-back finishes of Vitor Belfort and Thiago Santos --but instead of taking on one of the division’s top 5, he’ll look to avenge his last loss when he faces 10th-ranked Uriah Hall. Mousasi has some of the best stand-up in all of MMA and his precision striking often overwhelms his opponents as he’s built a 396-142 advantage in significant strikes since joining the UFC three years ago.

Hall will always be a threat because of his incredible athleticism and dynamic striking, as he showed in the first fight when he uncorked a huge spinning back kick that hurt Mousasi badly. But he’s certainly underperformed since that bout and he gets a revitalized Mousasi in this one. That could be a recipe for disaster.

Prediction: Gegard Mousasi by third-round TKO

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Ross Pearson vs. Stevie Ray

Gritty veteran Ross Pearson looks to snap a two-fight skid against lightweight prospect Stevie Ray on Saturday. Pearson has won just twice in his last six fights, both split decision, so he’s eager to get a convincing win in Belfast. Standing across from him, however, is heavy-handed Ray, winner of three of his first four fights in the UFC.

Ray’s only loss in the UFC came against Alan Patrick, who was able to take him down five times over the course of three rounds and control him most of the fight. Pearson would be wise to employ some of the same game plan against the powerful southpaw. Ray isn’t the guy you want to get into too many exchanges with.

Prediction: Stevie Ray by second-round TKO

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Timothy Johnson vs. Alexander Volkov

14th-ranked Timothy Johnson battles former Bellator champion Alexander Volkov in the only heavyweight bout scheduled for Saturday’s card in Belfast.

Johnson does his best work fighting in the clinch and uses heavy-handed combinations to blitz his opponent and close the distance. He might have a hard time does so against 6-foot-7 Volkov, who throughout his career has shown the ability to effectively use his reach but struggled with opponents who have been able to slow him down with grappling. Not convinced that Johnson is that guy, this time around.

Prediction: Alexander Volkov by third round KO

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Artem Lobov vs. Teruto Ishihara

Budding superstar Teruto Ishihara returns to the Octagon for the third time in 2016 when throws down with Artem Lobov. Ishihara, who has eight career first-round knockouts, is a very aggressive fighter who does an excellent job of closing the distance against often taller opponents. He lands 5.54 significant strikes per minute -- more than double the UFC average -- and how shown pinpoint accuracy in his three UFC fights.

Lobov has a lot of power in his hands but will need to show better head movement than he has in previous fights if he wants to last against the dynamic Ishihara.